Reading for the Road: Books About Provence

We at The Slow Road answer to many names (wanderers, bon vivants, students of life) but first and foremost, we’re a group of dedicated travellers. We’ve put together reading lists, which include those books—from novels to great guidebooks—that have really opened up our favourite regions. Many of these works capture the special qualities of a particular region and will provide you a much deeper sense of history and its people.

Must-Read Books about Provence

The Most Beautiful Villages of Provence Michael Jacobs
With an excellent introduction on the history, culture, landscapes and the pleasures of Southern France, this illustrated guide features 34 towns and villages across Provence from the Vacluse to Bonnieux and Gordes, tranquil Alpine villages and southern vineyards.

The Road from the Past, Traveling through History in FranceIna Caro
Time travel through France by way of its finest chateaux, cathedrals and monasteries. This unusual travelogue is an invaluable companion for traveling in Paris, southern France, the Dordogne and the Loire Valley, combining personal observation with large doses of well-presented history.

Eyewitness Guide Provence & the Cote D’Azur Roger Williams
his is an illustrated, colorful guide to the art and architecture, literature, history and attractions of Provence. With photographs and site plans, maps and sections on the Riviera, the Var, Bouches-du-Rhones, Vaucluse and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.

The Yellow House Martin Gayford
Gayfor chronicles the turbulent three months and texture of the daily lives of Van Gogh and Gauguin in Arles, where they worked side by side in 1888. With 60 b&W reproductions.

A Year in Provence Peter Mayle
The original best-selling tale of settling down in Provence, told with warmth and a great deal of humor. It offers a wonderful inside look at the charms and quirks of the people and the countryside in the south of France.